Calla Lily Crop Top for One Thimble 12 Tour (Plus, a e-zine review!)

August 19, 2016

Today I am taking part of the One Thimble Issue 12 Tour! This issue is jam-packed with lots of great patterns and articles! Keep reading to see what I made, have a sneak-peek on all patterns and read my magazine review.Making a crop top was on my huge summer-sewing list for my girls. Of course I haven't tackled half of that list (blame it on the pregnancy and maternity sewing) and although summer is still in full swing around here (well, today is a bit chilly and raining but another heatwave is expected for next week) I am already thinking (and working) on my kids back-to-school wardrobe. They all had a growth spurt this summer and it looks like they need a whole new wardrobe for Fall...Well (going back to the crop top), Jennuine Design just released two new patterns (yay!) and one of them is the Calla Lily Crop Top included in issue 12 of One Thimble!

Pattern: The Calla Lily Crop Top, by Jennuine Design for One Thimble issue 12.You can pair it with the Brook Blossom Girl Skirt, also available on this issue of One Thimble, or with the Satya Pants also by Jennuine Design (available at her shop and on sale now!). And just in case you are asking yourself, the skirt is a self-drafted pattern, made with knit. (Semi-copied from a RTW skirt I saw on a shop. :) ) Fabric: Embroidered cotton (Broderie anglaise or English embroidery). I purchased half meter of this fabric two years ago. It was kept in my fabric vault since it is beautiful and expensive. :) Details:The Calla Lily Crop Top is perfectly on trend, waist skimming top with a subtle a-line and high/low hem. It features: – size 2T-12– cap sleeve or sleeveless option– pleated or gathered detail at the shoulder– fully lined– button or snap backI have made size 6 (width) blended with size 8 (length). The only modification I made was gathering a bit more of the flounce piece by adding more width (I joined about half a piece to the flounce pattern piece).Jennuine Design's patterns never disappoint! They have an amazing quality, both pattern and instructions wise. Jennifer uses all the proper sewing techniques, and I love that.

The theme of One Thimble issue 12 is Watercolors. On this e-zine you will find several patterns, tutorials, tips and articles.

Here are the patterns available (you can get them with the magazine OR as single patterns), by some of my favorite designers!

And here's a list with some of the articles and tutorials you can find on this issue:

– Sewing with knit, specialty fabrics & leather– About Liberty fabrics– Tips on spring cleaning your stash– How to make ‘sew in’ magnets– How to make fabric from scrap– How to make a hair accessory organiser– Freestyle stitching– Tips for increasing your prices– Imposter Syndrome– Trending fabrics and much moreThis e-zine is worth it's price (several times!!) because of all the patterns but also because of all of these articles. They are interesting and super useful for both the beginner and the experienced sewist!One article that has spoken to me in particular was the "Spring Clean your Fabric Stash". Well, I am known (among other things) for having my own personal fabric "shop" at home. Need cotton? Floral, striped, polka dotted, printed or plain colored, have them all. Need wool? Have it covered. Need corduroy or denim? Here it is. Need rayon, viscose, silk, satin, sateen, voile, chiffon, linen? No problem! Need knit, any kind of knit? It's hard to pick just one. I used to feel happy to have this huge fabric stash and being able to pull wherever I needed for a pattern on a whim, but lately I must confess that is has become a bit overwhelming. It is just too much. I look at it, searching for something, and I get lost in so much offer... I am about to give it all away (or sell it, I don't know yet). I will keep just the most precious ones (the ones on my fabric vault :) ), namely Liberty of London, nani Iro, Cotton + Steel, etc. I really need to do this.This article tackles this issue beautifully and in a practical manner. Here's a bit «Whilst I didn’t keep track of my purchases, it’s reasonable to say that I’d spent thousands of dollars building quite a respectable stash of gorgeousness. I really embraced the idea, ‘whoever dies with the most fabric wins’! It’s essential to have a stash if you regularly sew, knit or craft, but how much is too much? The following steps will guide you on the path of rejuvenating your sewing space by giving your stash a ‘spring clean’.»

It guides you through the process of destashing (an inventory sheet is included!) and ends with several tips for maintaining a mindful stash. If you are a fabric hoarder or are just a bit too enthusiastic when it comes to fabric shopping, this is a must read!

When it comes to sewing, there are ups and downs. Everyone goes through phases: the sew-it-all-frantically or the I-have-lost-my-sewjo. Some times we go through a spiral of disbelief on our own sewing abilities (I know I have!) and sometimes we don't believe we'll be able to achieve our dreams (maybe a sewing related business?)... All we need is self belief. It all sums up to this:

« Of course there’s many other factors beyond self belief that play into achieving your dreams (hard work & practice to name just two) but once you believe in your dream, opportunities to get you closer to achieving your dream have a funny way of appearing.»

(One Thimble issue 12, editorial piece)

Don't miss a post for this tour! Here's the line up. You will get lots of inspiration!